Befriend the Wolf
by Captain Jet
Summary: Clementine befriends and fights with a powerful and surprising character. Both work to survive in a world gone to hell. (I realize this may be a crossover, but I felt it focuses mostly on Clementine that it should be on here.)
1. Chapter 1

Clementine stood in a clearing with walkers closing in on all sides. Fear consumed her as she clutched her gun. She sank to her knees, ready to give up. "I'm sorry, Lee. I'll see you soon," she cried placing the muzzle to her head. Just she was about to pull the trigger, a loud growl rips through the clearing. A large black wolf with yellow eyes jumps out of the trees landing in front of Clementine and snarls at the walkers. The walkers continue to shamble toward the little girl only to be ripped apart by the wolf. While the wolf is occupied, a couple walkers sneak up on Clementine. She gasps and aims her gun. Shots ring out as she downs the corpses in one sweep. She turns back to the wolf to see it ripping the head off the final walker. The beast roars before turning to look at Clementine. Terror appears on her face again as the creature stares into her eyes. She begins to slowly back away as the wolf starts walking toward her. It towered over her like a skyscraper kissing the sky. She scrambles to back away faster only to fall of her backside. Shuffling back against a tree, the wolf stops in front of her and bow its head. Clementine looks at it confused as it stares into her eyes. She whimpers slightly and her lip quivers as the beast continues to look deep in her amber eyes. A low rumble escapes the wolf's chest and then, "You okay kid?" it says. Clementine's eyes widen and she yelps. "Easy, easy. I'm not going to hurt you," the wolf says in a deep, hard voice. Climbing to her feet, Clementine rubs her eyes and show genuine bafflement. "Am I hallucinating?" she questions. "No, you're not," the wolf replies. It then steps back and begins to shrink. Its fur begins to disappear and its paws turn to hands and feet. The wolf has now become a man, a muscular man with a chiseled jaw and broad shoulder. He has a light beard with brown hair. His eyes appear as yellow as a banana. He stands up wearing a white shirt with black pants and a tie. Clementine stares with her mouth hanging open. "Name's Bigby," he says slowly extending his hand. Clementine slowly slakes his hand. "I'm… Clementine," she stammers.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, what are you doing out here by yourself, Clementine?" Bigby asks putting his hands on his hips. Clementine still looks at the man baffled at what she just saw. "I'm … alone. My friend and I got attacked," she stutters. "Hmm, I'm sorry to hear that. Do you have anyone else to turn to?" Bigby's eyes continued to study the little girl. "N- No. They're all dead," Clementine's head dipped as tears threatened to spill over her cheeks. Bigby's face grows soft and concerned as Clementine shudders at the memories. He kneels down to her level, "Listen, I don't know what happened, but if you survived this long, you gotta know your stuff. Why don't you come with me?" Clementine looks up to the man in front of her, tears staining and blurring her vision. "You won't hurt me, will you?" she asks, her words shaking slightly. Bigby smiles, "No, I won't hurt you. I'm sure you could probably take me anyway." A small smile creeps on Clementine's face, "I don't think so. You were a wolf just a second ago. How'd you do that by the way?" "Well, I'm the Big Bad Wolf, dreary. I'm a fable," Bigby explained. Clementine's smile holds, "I thought you looked familiar in your wolf form." Bigby chuckles, "Come on, let's get going."

Several hours passed as Bigby and Clementine walk side by side, scanning the trees for any movement. Clementine's mind races, she is walking with a guy that can easily tear her apart. Although, part of her believes Bigby wouldn't hurt her. The way he looked at her and teased her about her being tougher than him, just felt sincere. "What was your friend's name?" Bigby pulled her out of her thoughts. "Huh?" she looked up at him. "You said you and your friend were attacked. What was their name?" "Christa," she replied, "Some bandit had her at gunpoint, but I distracted them so she could get away. However … I don't know if she made it out of that or not." "Damn. I'm sorry," sympathy hung in Bigby's voice. "Yeah," was all Clementine could say. She shivers slightly as the breeze blows against her bare skin. Bigby watches as the little girl shivers, she is tiny, wearing a thin long sleeved shirt with another shirt over the top of that one. She looks exhausted, her legs dragging against the dirt. "You look exhausted, kid," he says. "No, I'm fine," she protests. "You can barely stand," he pointed out. "Really, I'm fine," she says in a bit more stern tone. Bigby could tell she was lying. "Hang on a second," he stopped her, "Stay right there." Clementine obeyed as Bigby stepped a few feet away from her. His eyes glowed yellow and hands turned to paws. Fur covered his skin and big, pointed ears sprouted on his head. The transformation process amazes Clementine as the buff man turns into that towering black wolf she met earlier in that day. After the transformation was complete, Bigby stepped in front of Clementine and lied down. "Hop on," he says, his wolf voice a lot deeper than his man voice. "Huh?" Clementine stuttered. "You can sleep on my back, my body heat will keep you warm, too," he says looking into her amber colored eyes. "Are you sure?" she was skeptical. "Yeah, I'll wake you when we find a shelter. Then we'll be able to rest and figure out where to go," he says bowing his head. Clementine smiles and climbs on the large animal. She instantly feels the warmth as soon as her skin came in contact with his fur. "Now hang on," he says as he slowly stands up. "I was going to Wellington, by the way. Christa and I were going there before everything happened," Clementine says as she snuggles up on Bigby's back. "Okay. Then, that's where we'll go," Bigby says as he slowly resumes walking. "Hey Bigby," Clementine whispers. "Yeah?" he replies. "Thanks, for saving me and everything," she says as she slowly closes her eyes, nestling her head between Bigby's shoulders. Bigby smiles, "No problem, Clementine."

**A/N: It'd be awesome if someone that's good at drawing or art could make that image of wolf form Bigby with Clem resting on his back. Message it to me if anyone does that. **


	3. Chapter 3

As night falls, Bigby continues to walk through the forest with a sleeping Clementine on his back. The brush and towering overhang doesn't show any signs of letting up. Every sound booms in Bigby's powerful wolf ears. The sounds of distant walkers, his paws crunching against the leaves, and the howl of the wind can be heard they wander deeper in the abyss. However, one noise sounds pleasant to Bigby, the gentle snore and rhythm of Clementine sleeping. Bigby was amazed by this girl; she was alone fighting off walkers and surviving. He always had a soft spot for children. When he saw the walkers overwhelming Clementine, he knew he wasn't just going to leave her. And the way she fought them proved to him that she was tougher than she looks. But what really sealed the deal for Bigby was when he looked in her amber colored eyes. He wasn't sure what it was, but he felt a connection with her, like she had a bit of the wolf in her too. Whatever it was, Bigby knew that she'd be different than any other little girl.

The forest opened up to a small river that flowed at a steady pace. It looked passable to Bigby. Slowly, he stepped up to the bank and looked down at the water. His reflection stared back at him. The yellow of his eye glowed and the thick, flowing fur seemed accented in his reflection. Old memories resurfaced, ones that he thought he put to bed many years ago. All the people he killed, the lives he ruined. It all made his heart ache. He continued to stare at himself, thinking, wondering. He sighs and shakes his head slightly. Stepping into the river, he slowly makes his way across without problem, even Clementine was kept dry. He continues to journey through the forest until a cabin comes into view.

"That could be a good shelter," he mutters to himself.

He looks up at the sky as it begins to slowly turn orange, the evening falling upon them. "Clementine?" Bigby says softly, "wake up, I found some shelter."

"Huh, what?" she says yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"We've got a shelter," Bigby repeats.

She looks up at the cabin as they close in on it. "I hope it's safe in there," she says.

"Let's go see," Bigby replies.

As they walk up to the porch, the cabin appears to be in good shape. Bigby bows allowing Clementine to climb off. She slowly climbs the stairs with her gun drawn. Peeking through the window, the cabin appears empty, from what she can see.

"Looks empty," she says.

"Let's make sure. Get the door, I'm right behind you," Bigby orders.

Clementine gingerly grasps the door knob and swings the door open. Nothing, the two are met with a cool breeze from the cabin.

Clementine sweeps the lower floor with her gun out in front of her, scanning for any walkers or worse, "It's clear down here, Bigby," she relaxes.

Turning to the wolf, she is met with a humorous sight. Bigby can barely fit through the door in his wolf form, causing her to snicker at the sight.

"Alright, alright. It's not funny," Bigby says unamused.

"I'm not laughing," Clementine snickers.

"Sure," Bigby says.

He backs out of the door and shrinks down to his human form. "There, that's better," he says stepping through the door, "Come on, let's scope out the rest of the house."

"I'm with you," Clementine says with a final snicker.


	4. Chapter 4

Bigby and Clementine trek through the cabin cautiously as they check each room. The cabin wasn't too large in size, boasting only a few rooms. Clementine slowly opens the door to what she could see was a bedroom. The blue light of the rising moon floods in the room, striking the bare bed and the empty floor. With her gun gripped tightly in her hands, she scans every inch of the room. Confident the room is safe; Clementine looks through the dresser draws and desk drawers for supplies. When she opens one drawer of the desk, she catches sight of a picture. A look of curiosity comes across her face as she picks up the picture. In the light she sees a family photo of two children and their parents. Sadness erupts in her heart as she remembers her family. Her mom, her dad, and Lee are all dead. A small tear escapes her eye and trickles down her cheek. She wipes her face and places the picture back in the drawer.

"Clementine?" She quickly spins around seeing Bigby in the doorway, "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," she lies.

A look of suspicion etches across Bigby's face, "Well, alright. The house seems clear, you find any supplies?"

"No, looks like all the supplies are gone in here," she says in an awkward tone.

"Okay?" Bigby says still suspicious, "Let go check the kitchen."

"Alright," she replies following the man down the stairs.

The two enter the kitchen and begin checking all places food could be. Bigby finds that cabinets are empty as well as the fridge.

"Dammit!" Bigby exclaims.

"Bigby?" Clementine speaks up.

"Sorry, Clem," he apologizes.

She smiles, "That's fine. Look!"

Bigby steps beside the young to see that she had found some boxes full of canned foods in the panty. A smile spread across Bigby's face as he looks upon the achievement.

"Great work, kid! Come on, let's go get a fire going in the fireplace," he says as he picks up one of the boxes. She nods and they make their way out to the living room. Bigby places some wood from the wood pile that was left, in the fireplace. Clementine sits in front of the couch on the floor watching Bigby work.

"Oh, come on! Son of a bitch!" Bigby mumbles.

"What's wrong?" Clementine asks lifting her head.

"I lost my lighter," Bigby says rubbing his face.

Clementine smiles while reaching in her pocket, "Will this one work?" She holds her own lighter with the pink butterfly sticker in her hand.

Bigby smiles, "That'll work perfect." He takes the lighter and quickly gets a fire going.

The fire roars to life with great warmth as Bigby smiles at his achievement, taking a seat next to Clementine.

"Why light a fire if your body heat can keep us warm?" she asks.

Bigby smirks, "My body heat will only help us for so long."

"So you have to stay warm too?" Clementine cocks her head.

"I may be a fable, but I still need the same things a mundy needs?"

"Mundy?" Clementine raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, sorry. That's what I call non-fables," Bigby replies rubbing his neck.

Clementine smiles, "Interesting."

An hour goes by, night has completely fallen. The fire continues to flicker as Clementine and Bigby soak in its warmth. Light small talk is shared between the two as the hour progresses. Bigby never thought he'd find company again, let alone find it in an eleven year old girl. Something about her just linked with his person. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't question it. In the few hours Bigby's known Clementine, she's proven that she's smart, fast, and can fight. Those traits had a lot of weight in Bigby's mind when it comes to this world. But one thing kept clawing at Bigby, something he really wondered about the girl.

He looks at the girl with a warm smile as her amber eyes glow in the light, "Clem?"

"Yeah?" she replies.

He stares at her with great wonder, "What actually happened to your family?" he asks with the most gentle of voice he can muster.

Clementine's gaze falls and a sad frown forms upon her face. Bigby sees the pain resonating in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I asked. I'm just curious," Bigby apologizes.

"No, its okay," she says softly, "My mom and dad when on vacation right before all this started leaving me with a babysitter at home."

A sad expression grows more intense on Clementine's face, "They never came home. We went to Savannah to find them, but they were already dead."

Bigby's heart began to crack.

"There was this man that found me and took care of me. We met up with other people and tried to make it work… but it didn't," she gazes down at her feet.

She continues, "His name was Lee, he taught me how to survive," she pauses, "He's why I keep my hair short."

Bigby gives look of regret, "What uh, what happened to him?"

Clementine's eyes grow, "I killed him." Bigby's eyes widen slightly.

"He was bitten when he was trying to save me, and I had to kill him before he turned," pain and guilt resonates in Clementine's voice.

"Wow," was the only thing Bigby could say.

"I had to," Clementine says with remorse.

Bigby stares at the girl; her eyes look as though they're holding in a river. He slowly wraps his arm around her shoulder, giving her a squeeze of comfort. She looks up at the man with a great deal of sadness filling her gaze. The flames of the fire accent her worn out complexion. Her eyes glisten brighter as her pain shows through. She slowly wraps her arms around Bigby's waist, embracing him tightly. He slowly lifts her body into his lap allowing her to rest her head on his chest. Almost instantly, Bigby can feel the tears staining his shirt.

"I'm sorry, Clementine. I'm sorry you've had to deal with so much pain," Bigby says softly as he gently rubs her back in a attempt to comfort the young girl.


End file.
